“Giving New Hampshire Consumers and Solar Workers a Voice,” by Peter Allen, published in Concord Patch.

I’ve noticed two recent solar editorials in New Hampshire papers — the Union Leader and the Concord Monitor — that give me cause for concern because they oppose an important solar policy called net metering without any data to back up their conclusions.

The pieces both call for a change to New Hampshire’s net metering policy, but fail to acknowledge that there has not been a single study on the benefits and costs of net metering in the state. In other states, independent studies show that net metering is a financial benefit to all ratepayers, even those without solar.

So here’s the multi-billion dollar question: Why reduce credits to solar customers when net metering creates solar jobs and economic growth, makes solar more affordable to all homeowners, and has not yet received the benefit of a thorough analysis by the state PUC to determine its impacts on New Hampshire consumers?

By proposing to eliminate net metering before such a study could even take place, New Hampshire’s political leadership is prejudging the outcome. As an alternative, legislators could call for a study by passing SB 333. According to leaders in the solar industry — who probably know what they need to keep New Hampshire workers employed in their growing green industry — the bill just needs one important tweak: Let the industry continue their successful work of moving us into a new energy future until a study is complete.